Detail: No Wimpy Cornices

Have you noticed (as I have) that
the vast majority of new homes are
built with "wimpy" eaves details? The
eaves (or cornice) of a house serve not
only as a place to hang the rain gutter;
they also separate the major exterior
surfaces of the roof and the walls.
They deserve more attention than
they get!
Go to Williamsburg, Va., or look at
some photos or drawings of famous old
American homes, and you will be
impressed by the bold eaves treatments
— no wimpy cornices here!
I became interested in finding good
eaves and cornice details locally. I
found the one detailed here in a suburb
of Pittsburgh. The top drawing
was extrapolated from the exterior
appearance